Vinyl resin



Patented Jan. 25, 1944 VINYL RESIN Ronald W. Staley, Pittsfleld, Mass,

General Electric Company,

New York assignor to a. corporation of No Drawing. Application March 21, 1942,

Serial No. 435,636 I Claims.

The present invention relates to vinyl resins and more particularly to vinyl resins stabilized against the action of heat and light.

Broadly, my invention relates to the heat and light stabilization of resinous compositions produced by polymerizing compositions comprising a vinyl halide with or without other copolymerizable compounds. Among such compositions are: (l) the polyvinyl halides, suchas for example'polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide: (2) vinyl resins produced by the conjoint polymerization of vinyl halides and vinyl esters of the lower aliphatic acids, such as the copolymers of vinyl chloride with, for example, vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl chloracetate, vinyl chlorpropionate; (3) vinyl resins produced by the conjoint polymerization of vinyl halides and an acrylic compound, such as the copolymers of vinyl chloride with, for example, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, methyl ethacrylate, benzyl acrylate, chlorbenzyl acrylate, methyl chloracrylate; and (4) many other vinyl resin copolymers, such as the copolymers of three component systems, for example, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate and ethyl methacrylate, etc. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, other multi-component copolymers may be used, the only requirement being that at least one of the components is a vinyl halide.

I have found that the class of compounds represented by the general formula:

. 1? .-\r-0-lbO( ."-R where R is an aliphatic radical containing at least 9 carbon atoms and Ar is an aryl radical, are excellent heat and light stabilizers for vinyl halide resins. Illustrative examples of fatty acid radicals rperesented by 1.4 are: undecylic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic, ricinoleic, stearic, nondecylic, etc. Illustrative examples of aryl radicals represented by Ar include: phenyl, tolyl, xylyl, naphthyl, chlorophenyl, chlorotolyl, etc. Where the radical has a substitute grouping the various isomers are included.

In the following examples, which are given by way of illustration but not by way of limitation, Example 1 shows the preparation of a typical stabilizer of my invention. The Vinylite resin employed in the examples is a copolymer of vinyl 55 chloride and vinylacetate, the vinyl chloride being of the order of 85%. All parts are by weight. k

- Example 1 Parts Phenyl stearate 30.85

Lead oxide (litharge) 19.15

The above reactants are heated together at 140- Example 2 Parts Vinylite resin 99.5 Phenoxy lead stearate 0.5

The above components are milled for 3 minutes on differential rolls, the front roll of which is heated with. steam under a pressure of 20 to pounds 'per square inch. The compound after grinding is then molded for 5 minutes at a temperature of 175 C. under a pressure of 2,000

pounds per square inch. Although these molding conditions are more severe than those utilized normally in molding this type of resin, the resin darkens only slightly with little adherence to the mold. However, when the vinylite resin containing no stabilizer is sheeted and molded as described above, the molded piece is considerably darker and in addition adheres to the mold to a very much greater extent than the above sample containing the stabilizer. In fact, cutting the molding time to 1 minute for the unstabilized Vinylite resin, which more nearly approaches normal molding conditions, does not prevent the discoloration from being greater than that for the stabilized resin under the more severe molding conditions described above. For practical purposes, it can be said that 0.5% is the minimum amount of stabilizer that should beused.

Example 3 I 4 Parts Vinylite resin 99 Phenoxy lead stearate 1 were sheeted and molded in the same way as described in Example2. The piece did not darken or adhere to the mold proving that it was stabilized towards this severe heat treatment.

Although this product, lead 2 I Example 4 Parts vinylite resin 98 Phenoxy lead stearate 2 were treated as described under Example 2. Again a well stabilized molded-piece was obtained. More severe heat treatment causes a faint opalescence but no discoloration to app ar. When 1% titanium dioxide was included in the formulation and the molded piece subjected to a carbon are for 1'? hours, no discoloration couidbe detected showing that the piece was stabilized against actinic radiation.

Excellent heat stabilized compositionswere also obtained with the following compositions when treated and tested according to the conditions of Example 2.

Example 5 Polyvinyl chloride 83 Plasticizer (methyl pentachlorostearate) l5 It is apparent from the examples illustrating the invention that small amounts of the phenoxy lead stearate exert a stabilizing effect on the vinyl resins. Thus, provided the stabilizer is present in a quantity or at least 0.5%. stabilization is eflected. Amounts in excess of 5% may be used. However, for economical reason I prefer not to use larger amounts.

It will be understood, of course, bythose skilled in the art that my invention is not limited to the stabilization of polymers or copolymers of a vinyl halide with phenoxy lead stearate. Instead of using phenoxy lead stearate I may use other aryloxy lead salts of monocarboxylic aliphatic acids having more than ten carbon atoms inthe acid, radical examples or which are:

Phenoxy lead undecylate Phenoxy lead laurate Toloxy lead myristate (cresyl lead 'myristate) Toloxy lead stearate 'I'oloxy lead oleate Phenoxy lead oleate Phenoxy lead recinoleate Xyloxy lead stearate Xyloxy lead palmitate Chlorophenoxy lead undecylate ChlorotoloXy lead oleate Naphthoxy lead palmitate Naphthoxy lead linoleate xyloxy lead montanate Toloxy lead hYD Seate Phenoxy lead carnaubate The above compounds may readily be prepared by the method disclosed in Example 1 by usin the corresponding tolyl, xylyl or naphthyl esters of the appropriate aliphatic monocarboxylic acid in place of the phenyl stearate. y

In the compounding of plastic compositions for Parts common solvents. plasticizers, pigments. and other modiiying materials without detrimental effect upon the heat and light stability aflorded by these new stabilizers.

Various means well known to the art may be used ior incorporating the stabilizers oi this invention into the resinous compositions. For example, the resin and plasticizer may be dissolved in a mutual solvent and intimately mixed followed by the evaporation of the solvent it the composition is not to be used as a varnish. Sheeting on diilerential rolls, as was used in the examples, may also be used. It is important to obtain as intimate and complete a dispersion or solution of the stabilizer in the resin as is possible.

The stabilizers used in th present invention are to be distinguished from the organo metallic salts such as, for example, diphenyl lead stearate, tributyl lead oleate, etc., in which the lead is Joined directly to the carbon atom or the organo group and which generally are extremely poisonous and diilicult and somewhat dangerous to handle. In marked contrast, th aryloxy lead salts oi this invention ar no more poisonous than the litha'rge and phenol from which they are made. The lead is Joined to the aryl radical through an oxygen atom which, according to many tests which I have conducted, apparently gives the compounds increased solubility in the vinyl halide polymers and copolymers. In fact. these new stabilizers have a greater solubility in vinyl resins than any stabilizer that I have tested. This is extremely important when it is desired to stabilize a clear, unfilled resin.

- lead phenates which are the lead salts of phenols I and which are easily hydrolyzable and of very limited solubilityin vinyl halide resins.

The stabilized vinyl halide polymers and copolymers of this invention may be used not only ior' compression and injection molding com- P unds but also for the preparation or varnishes, adhesives, castings, laminated products, etc.

Although in the above examples I have shown copolymers of a vinyl halide containing in the order or to 98% vinyl halide, I may use other copolymers in which the vinyl halide is present in lower concentrations, for example 50%. However, for maximum strength and flame resistin properties I prefer that the P yvinyl halide be present'in the copolymers in an amount equal to atleast 60%.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A composition comprising (1) the product of polymerization of a mass comprising a vinyl halide and (2) a heat and light stabilizer coniprising a compound having the general formula:

. 0 ir-Q-Pb-O-t'i-flt wherein Ar is an aryl radical and R is an allphatic radical containing at least 9 carbon atoms.

2. A composition-as in claim 1 wherein Ar is an aryl radical of the benzene series.

3. A composition comprising (1) the product or polymerization of a mass comprising a vinyl various uses, there maybe included any or the 7s A compolltien p s n a p r mprising polyvinyl chloride and. as a heat and light stabilizer therefor. a compound having the general formula:

wherein Ar is an aryl radical and R is an allphatic radical having at least 9 carbon atoms.

'1. A composition comprising (1) the product I of conjoint polymerization of a mixture comprising vinyl chloride and a polymerizabie vinyl ester, and (2) a heat and light stabilizer comprising a compound having the general formula:

RONALD W. BTALEY. 

